Antidrifting attachment for automobiles



Nov. 26, 1929. R. F. REICH ANTIDRIFTING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 3. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 26, 1929. R. F. REICH ANTIDRIFTING ATTACHMENT; FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 5. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 26, 1929. R, REICH' ANTIDRIFTING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 5, 1928 3 SheetAS-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE :aonna'r r. REICH, or 'rayomuoarn CAROLINA ANTIDRIITING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed November 3, 1928. Serial No. 317,010.

The present invention relates to attachments for automobiles and similar motor driven vehicles and has for its'principalobj ect to provide means'operatively connected with the drive mechanism for preventing drifting movement of the vehicle while standing in a xforwardly or rearwardly inclined position.

An important object of the invention ,resides in the provision of means operatively .10 connected with the drive shaft of the vehicle for securing the same against drifting movef 20.7 is to provide an attachment of this character which is automatic in its operation and equal ly well adapted for driving the vehicle in either a forward or rearward direction.

An additional object is to provide an attachment of this character which is automatic in its operation, which embodies efficiency and simplicity in its construction, which is strong and durable, which may be installed in operative'position upon the drive mechanism of the 0 vehicle without necessitating any material changes or alterations in the construction thereof 'and is otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and 'advantages resi e in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational 'view of the transmission and clutch mechanismof a motor driven vehicle with the devicenconstitut-v hub thereof, and

ing the subject matter of myV invention, shown in operative position with respect thereto,

Figure 2 isa perspective view of the special- I I ly constructed drive shaft with which the invention is operatively connected,

Figure 3. is a transverlse sectional view through the shaft lshowing the gears, forming part of the invention, operatively connected therewith, Y

Figure 4 is a similar view of the'reverse side 55 of said gear,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through said gears and the pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively associated therewith.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the idler gear illustrating the friction locking means for the Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pawl.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, for the purpose of illustration I have -disclosed my inventlon mounted in operative position with respect to a vehicle transmission mechanism indicated generall at 5 and clutch mechanism 6-for controlling the operation of the drive shaft 7.`

The 'transmission and clutch mechanism are shown operatively mounted in housings 8 and 9 respectlvely, in a manner well known in the'art, the clutch housing 9 having a ver ticallyextending support 10 arranged therein and provided with lan opening through which the forward end of. the drive shaft 7 is journaled and' also provided with an opening for rotatablysupporting one end of a subshaft 11 disposed in parallel relation above the driveshaft 7 and with its rear end journaled in the rear section of the housing 12.

,The portion of the drive shaft disposed immediately beneath the sub-shaft 11 is square shaped in cross section, as illustrated at13, they rear end of the squared portion of the shaft terminatingfinla flange 14. A spur gear 15 and ratchet ear 16 are mounted on the square portion o the shaft for rotation therewith and secured in position by a collar a chord of the inner periphery of the ring 26 teeth 21 of the ratchet wheel, said pawl having a squareshaped hub 22 formed on one side thereof, the hub and the pawl being formed with an opening 23 for receiving the shaft 11. f

A spider 24 is mounted upon the hub 22 for rotary movement with the' hub, said spider being provided vwith radially extending arms 25 having their outer ends arcuately formed and fitted against the inner periphery of a ring 26 for relative rotary movement with respect'thereto.

A ring gear 27 is formed about the ring 26 and disposed in engagement with the gear 15. The spider 24 is secured against relative longitudinal movement on the hub 22 by means of bolts 28 extending through the spider and vengaging the pawl 19.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing, one edge of each-of the radial arms 25 of the spider is disposed in a plane forming as indicated at 30 whereby to form a series of recesses 31 about the edge of the spider, reduced gradually at one end by thecurvature ,of the ring.

, Rollers 32 are mounted within each of the recesses haiving their axes disposed parallel with the axis of the rino: and with the surface'ofeach of the rollers yieldably retained in frictional engagement between the "tangential edge of the spider and the ring by a plunger 33 having one end slidably disposed in a recess formed in the adjacent arm 25 and normally urged outwardly against the roller by an expansion spring 34 arranged in said recess.

The rollers 32 are retained in assembled position by means of a cover plate 35 secured at one side of the gear 27 by the bolt 28 as clearly illust-rated in Figure 5 of the drawing. A spacing member 36 is interposed between the cover plate 35 and the support 10. It will be readily appreciated from the foregoinff that the rinser gear 27 .is permitted to rotate freely about the spider and hub in one direct-ion, but upon the rotation of Said gear in an opposite direction, the rollers 32 will be wedged between the ring 26 and the tangential edge 30 of the arms of the spider and thus prevent rotation of said ring gear.

side bv a stop pin 39 depending from the pawl 19 at the center thereof. y

The endof the pawl 19, opposite from lts ratchet gear engaging end 20, is provided with a weighted end 40 whereby to normally retain the end 20 out of engagement with said ratchet gear. The stop pins 38 and 39 are disposed in position for engagement,y with each other whereby to limit the downward movement of the weighted end'of the pawl beyond a position for maintaining the end 2O of said pawl just out of engagement with the ratchet gear. V 1

The pawl and ring gear roller assembly are mounted in position with respect to the ywears 15 and 16 so .that the rotation of the shaft 7 during the normal .operation of the car will enable the ring gear 27 to rotate idly about the spider with the pawl out of engaged position. Should the vehicle be brought to l a stop and headed downwardly upon an 1nclined surface, through the use of the vehicle brake and with the clutch 9 thrown out of engagement, as is customary, the car may be prevented from forward driving movement by throwing the gear shift/mechanism into reverse. whereby to cause a reverse movement in the drive shaft 7 forwardly of the transmission and prevent any forward drifting tendency of the car.

This reverse movement of the portion of the drive shaft 7 upon which the gears 15 and 16 are mounted will cause a reverse movement in the ring gear 27 from its normal direction of rotation and thus cause the wedging action ofthe roller 32 carried thereby. Such wedging action will create a limited rotary movement of the hub 22 causing an engagement of thev end 2O of the pawl with the ratchet gear 16 thereby locking the gears 15 and 16 against further rotary movement ina reverse direction of the shaft 7.

The vehicle is 'thus securely held against forward shifting movement while permitting the operator to release the brakes of the vehicle. It is to be understood that during this operation the clutch mechanism is held out of engagement.

Under reverse conditions where the4 vehicle `is brought to a stop on an upwardly` inclined surface, rearward drifting movement is prevented providing the gear shift mechanism is retained in either of its forward positions while the clutch is held out of engagement, any reverse movement in .the drive shaft 7 through the tendency of the car to drift rearrive wardly operatin to reverse the-direction of i idle rotation of t e gear 27 and cause a wedging actionuof the rollers 32 and thus move the pawl and ratchet into locking'` engagement. i

The operator is then at liberty to the brake mechanism and the car will be held against the rearward movement until the clutch is let back into engagement for mov ing the car forwardly.

If desired a lubricating system may be provided for the rollers 32 comprising a grease channel 41 formed in the sub-shaft 11 release with a grease nipple .42 attached at one end thereof, theinner endof the grease channel 41 terminating vin a transverse passage 43 ,communicating with an annular'l groove 44 formed within tthe bore of the hub 22."

Radially extending ducts 45 extend from the channel 44 through the edges of the arm 25 of the spider in position for supplying grease to the rollers.

It is obvious that my invention'is suscepti-A ble to various changes and modifications in construction without*departing` from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the'appended claims, and VI accordingly claim all suchdforms of the device to which I am entitle Having thus described my invention, what? I claim as new is: 1

y1. A device of the class described comprising a driven shaft normally rotating in one direction, a plurality of gears mounted thereon for rotation therewith, an idler gear operatively engaged with one of said shaft gears and adapted for free rotary movement during the normal rotation of the shaft and gear locking means operatively associated with said idler gear and engageable withthe other of said shaft gears and operable upon an initial reverse movement of the shaft whereby to prevent retrograde movement thereof. 2. A device of the class described comprising a driven shaft normally rotating in the normal operation of the shaft, gear reand normall one direction, a` plurality of gears carried thereby for rotation therewith, an idler gear operativelyassociated with one of said gearsy and arranged for free rotary movement upon tainingmeans arranged in position for engagement with the other ofsaid shaft gears disengaged therefrom and i means operatively connecting said idler gear with said -gear retaining means for moving the same into gear engaging position upon an initial reverse movement of said shaft whereby to prevent retrograde movement thereof.

3. A device of the class vdescribed comprising a dirven shaft normallytrotatingin one direction, a plurality ofgears carried therebyfor rotation therewith, an id ler gear operatively associated with one of said gears and arranged for free rotary movement upon the normal operation of the shaft, gear retaining means arranged i'n posltlon for engagement with the other of sand/shaft gears and normally disengaged therefrom .and

means operatively connecting said idler gear with said gear retaining' means for moving.;

the same into gear engaging position upon an initial reverse movement of Jsaid shaft whereby to prevent retrogrademovement thereof, said last named means comprising wedge members operatively associated with said idlerl gear. l

4. A device of the class described, comprising a driven shaft normally rotating in one direction, a plurality of gears carried thereby for rotation therewith, an idler gear operatively associated with one of said gears and arranged for free rotary movement upon the normal operation of the shaft, gear retaining means arranged in position for engagement with the other of said shaft gears and normally disengaged therefrom vand means operativelyconnecting said idler gear with said gear retaining means for moving the same into gear engaging position upon an initial reverse movement of said shaft whereby to prevent retrograde movement thereof, said vlast named means comprising a plurality of wedge members disposed in concentric relation with respect to the axis of said idler gear and retained in position against rotary movement with said gear.

5. A device of the class described comprising a driven shaft normally rotating in one direction, a plurality of gears mounted for rotation with said shaft, an idler gear arranged in engagement with one of said,

shaft gears, a spider providing a mountin for said idler gea/r,l means engageable with the Vyspider retaining the same againstl rotary tion therewith, an'idler gear arranged with one of said shaft gears, a pawl arranged for engagement with the other of said shaft gears, a spider carriedv by said pawl and providlng a mounting for Asaid idler gear, said spider including a plurality of radially disposed arms havlng one edgethereof disposed tangentially with respect to said idler gear and a plurality of rollers. disposed concentrically with respect to the axis of said idler gear and arranged in wedging relation between the tangential edge of the spider and said gear for movement into wedglng position upon an initial reverse movement of said shaft.

' 7. Av device 'for preventing -retrograde movement comprising in combination, a

'jdriven shaft normally rotating in one direcrtion,` a-pluralityL of gears mounted oli-said shaft for rotation therewith, a sub-shaft dis,-

posed parallel with saidv first named shaft, apawl pivotally mounted on said sub-shaft and disposed for engagement with one of said shaft gears whereby to retain the same against reverse movement of the shaft, a hub gcc of a square shaped construction in cross secv tion formed on one side of said pawl, a spider carried on said hub having a plurality of arms extending radially therefrom, a ring gear mounted for rotation upon the ends of said arm and operatively engageable with the other of said shaft gears, each of said arms having one edge disposed tangentially with respect to said ring gear and a plurality of rollers interposed between the ring gear and the tangential edges of said arm and adapted for movement into wedging position upon an initial reverse movement of said shaft.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ROBERT F. REICH. 

